August 7, 2018
Dietrich School’s Office of Graduate Studies Welcomes New International Graduate Students
Dear New International Graduate Students,
I would like to warmly welcome you to the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. We are a cosmopolitan community of research and learning committed to an environment of inclusion that fosters global understanding and open exchange of intercultural thought.
You are among some 700 new international graduate and professional students arriving on campus this term. Across the University as a whole, nearly 4,000 students, faculty, and staff come from countries outside of the United States. Within the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences — home to programs in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities — almost 40 percent of all our graduate students come from countries outside the United States to pursue their degrees at Pitt. Your global perspectives enrich our school and university, as well as our city and our nation.
As a former international graduate student and an international faculty member, I remember well how demanding and exciting it can be to transition to a new country, city, and university. Please know that there are many resources, colleagues, and fellow students to support you now and throughout your studies.
The Office of International Services (OIS) will already have been in touch with you about the following events:
August 13, 2018 OIS International Graduate and Professional Student Orientation
August 14, 2018 OIS Immigration Check-In
Our website suggests further resources for international graduate students.
You are arriving at the start of the Year of PittGlobal, a year when we especially “celebrate Pitt being at home in the world and promote the University as a global convening point. Our citizens (students, faculty, and staff), communities, campuses, and local and global networks will engage freely in collaborative dialogue and activities that advance interdisciplinary educational and research pursuits and improve the quality of life, health, prosperity and social mobility of people in Pittsburgh and around the world.” (Mission of Year of PittGlobal)
And please mark your calendars for International Week: October 13–19, 2018.
I look forward to meeting many of you over the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact OIS at ois@pitt.edu or drop me a line at graddean@pitt.edu.
With best wishes as you prepare for the start of term,
Holger Hoock
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies